Describe Feeling At Um? It's The Best

LOS ANGELES — Are back-to-back national titles in University of Miami coach Larry Coker's sights?

With a national championship under his belt in his first year as a coach, Coker already started joking Friday about his prospects for next season.

"Who's the first second-year coach who has won back-to-back?" Coker asked.

Before Coker can start thinking about repeating, he and the Hurricanes are enjoying their 37-14 win against Nebraska in the Rose Bowl on Thursday night, giving the school its fifth national championship.

The realization of calling themselves national champions hasn't set in yet.

"I woke up this morning and said, `I just won a national championship,'" said receiver Andre Johnson, who had seven receptions for 199 yards and two touchdowns en route to co-Rose Bowl Player of the Game honors with quarterback Ken Dorsey. "I don't think it will set in until I get home."

UM made quick work of Nebraska, jumping out to a 34-0 halftime lead. In the process, Coker became the first rookie coach to win a title since Bennie Oosterbaan led Michigan in 1948.

The Hurricanes used the same formula they have all season. A balanced offensive attack led by Dorsey, Johnson and tailback Clinton Portis, and a stifling defense did the trick. UM held Nebraska to a season-low 239 total yards, and also held the Cornhuskers to 197 yards rushing.

"That's the goal of our team, to win and win impressively," said Dorsey, who went 22 of 35 passing for 362 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. "The national championship was no different."

It was a triumphant ending for 12 Hurricanes seniors, including Edward Reed and Bryant McKinnie, who stayed their final seasons for this purpose -- to win it all.

"This is just a glorious ending," guard Martin Bibla said. "I couldn't have dreamed it would be any better."

Now three UM juniors face tough decisions. Portis, tight end Jeremy Shockey and cornerback Phillip Buchanon are contemplating leaving school early for the NFL Draft. They have until Friday to declare themselves eligible for the draft.

Coker said none of those players has made a final decision. William Joseph, another candidate to jump to the NFL, told Coker he will stay at UM because "we're going to have the best defensive line in the country next year."

Regardless of whether those three players stay, UM will have serious holes to fill in the secondary and offensive line. Bibla, McKinnie and Joaquin Gonzalez all leave, and several young players will have to step up to replace them.

McKinnie will be the hardest to replace. A projected top-five NFL Draft selection, the 6-foot-9, 335-pound McKinnie has never given up a sack.

"There's only one Bryant McKinnie, there's only one Joaquin, there's only one Martin Bibla," Dorsey said. "It's going to be a very big test for somebody to come in and step up to be the next Bryant McKinnie, the next Joaquin."

In the secondary, seniors Reed, James Lewis and Mike Rumph depart. But UM always has talent, and Al Marshall, Sean Taylor and Maurice Sikes are ready to step in.

Winning the title could serve as extra motivation for next season despite losing so many quality players.

"Guys are going to remember this and they're going to stay hungry because it is such a great feeling," Dorsey said. "These guys aren't going to want to rest on what we did this year. We want to build on it."

It's going to be tough, though, with trips to Tennessee, Florida and Syracuse, as well as home dates with Florida State and Virginia Tech.

In college football, it's never easy to go undefeated, but it's even more difficult to win back-to-back titles. UM has never repeated.

"It's difficult to make a title run, and we realize that," Coker said.

For now, the comparisons with the other UM championship teams will rage. But players on the 2001 title team believe they are the program's finest of all-time.

"We're the best Miami team," Rumph said. "Some of the older 'Canes might not think so. Only time will tell."